Brandon Jacobs

2013

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2012

Jacobs continued his transition from a two-sport star to becoming solely a baseball player. He's re-shaped his body and it's made him a better hitter, as evidenced by his 2011 season when he was named the Player of the Year in the South Atlantic League while playing for Low-A Greenville. In the field, it's a different story. He needs to put himself in a better position to make plays and improve the angles he takes to field balls. He's likely to get a promotion to High-A Salem to open the 2012 season, but the Red Sox will want to see defensive improvement before he ascends the higher levels of the organization.

2011

Jacobs, a high-school football star, is trying to make himself over as a baseball player. Inherent in that transition are growing pains, but Jacobs was quick to take in the organization's teaching in 2010. A continued development in picking out the right pitches he can hit as well as refining his swing are the important advancements he needs to display in 2011. This should lead to more consistent contact against the advanced pitching he'll be seeing as he ascends the minor-league levels. There's still some work to defensively, but Jacobs should land a starting outfield spot for Low-A Greenville in 2011.

2010

Jacobs, 19, eschewed a football scholarship to Auburn in order to play baseball. He's very raw overall as a baseball player, because he committed so much training time to football. He's got great raw power and can hit the ball a ton when he squares up on a pitch. Jacobs will start the year in development in Florida and will likely debut for Short-Season Lowell. At this point, the organization is looking for him to practice on the foundation work they'll be giving him in Florida. He needs to work on his approach and pitch recognition. Defensively, he's a work in progress.